The present invention relates generally to a wheel chock apparatus, and more specifically to a locking apparatus that is especially suited for use with a single tire and wheel assembly included on single and dual axle vehicles such as tent trailers, travel trailers, boat trailers and the like.
A variety of known wheel chock apparatuses have been used to impose some degree of immobilization upon a single wheel of a vehicle by positioning a pair of generally wedge-shaped chocks in contact with the leading and trailing circumferential rolling surface of the wheel, which is situated immediately fore and aft of the area where the wheel makes contact with the surface over which it would otherwise be expected to travel. One relatively recent locking wheel chock device employs a pair of conventional wedge shaped chocks that are connected together by a spacing bar affixed to the respective chocks, maintaining them in a facing arrangement and substantially in contact with both sides of a tire mounted on a wheel of a vehicle. Locking of the device is achieved by use of a conventional padlock, the U-shaped shank of which is received by mutually aligning holes provided in retaining arms that are also fastened to the respective chocks. A disadvantage associated with the construction of this device is that the retaining arms, even with the padlock secured in its intended position, will not be totally immovable relative to one another. This is so because the U-shape of the padlock shank will allow for a certain amount of play which, under certain conditions, can cause the chocks to loosen relative to the wheel and result in forward and backward rocking of the vehicle.
Another known wheel chock assembly includes a pair of wedge members positionable in spaced apart relation one to another and interconnected by a plain, straight bar. At one end, the bar is slidingly received by an aperture provided in a first of the wedge members, and at its other end, it is fixably attached to a second of the wedge members. A tab having an aperture is slidingly received by the bar and is disposed adjacent the first wedge member. Abutment of a portion of the tab against the first wedge member causes pivoting movement of the tab and locking engagement between an edge of the tab aperture and the bar, thereby preventing relative outward movement of the two wedge members. A potential disadvantage inherent with the design of this device is that the locking tab may become dislodged and thereby result in loosening of the wedge members.
Yet another known wheel chock assembly comprises a pair of reversible wheel chocks that are slidingly mounted upon a segmented spacer bar assembly. The wheel chocks may be oriented to engage opposing sides of a single wheel, and they each are maintained in a locked position relative to the spacer bar and the wheel by a thumb screw. While this wheel chock assembly overcomes the disadvantages associated with the previous two devices, it is generally bulky when assembled for use. The device can be reduced to a compact configuration for storage and transportation purposes; however, reassembly is required in order to put the device back into working condition.
Yet another wheel chock is known for engaging opposite sides of a wheel to prevent rolling in either direction by a pair of spaced wedge-like blocks that are secured together in pre-spaced relation by a hoop-like bar of resilient steel that operates to maintain the blocks in position while permitting flexing of the hoop to effect removal of the blocks from opposite sides of a wheel. The hoop-like bar acts to retain the blocks against the wheel. Like an earlier described device, this apparatus is susceptible to being inadvertently dislodged (the hoop-like bar protrudes a substantial horizontal distance outward from the wheel). Moreover, this apparatus cannot be reduced in size for easy storage and carrying.
Yet another known wheel chock mechanism includes a pair of chock body members secured together in spaced relationship with their inclined wheel-engaging portions opposed to each other, one of the body members being provided with an eccentric or cam movable relatively to that body member towards and away from the base of that member and formed with one or more vertically movable, floor-contacting pins, and means mounted on that body member for applying pressure to said pressure member so as to cause a reactionary force to be applied to the wheel through the wheel-engaging portions.
Lastly, an additional wheel chock apparatus that is known for use with a single tire and wheel assembly having a pair of oppositely facing, wedge-shaped chocks coupled by a horizontally sliding bar assembly connected at opposing ends to a vertically extending lateral face of each of the chocks. The wheel chock apparatus is adjustable; however, it does not appear to have any locking capability.
In view of the foregoing, it is evident that a need exists for a wheel chock apparatus for a single tire that can be easily and quickly locked against the tire in a more stable and secure manner than can be achieved with known wheel chock devices. It is further evident that a need exists for a wheel chock apparatus that can be readily reduced to a small, highly portable, easily storable size and that will require virtually no reassembly when the need arises to put it back into working order. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and useful wheel chock apparatus to fulfill these needs.
The present invention is a locking wheel chock apparatus for use with tent trailers, travel trailers and boat trailers having single or dual axles. The chock apparatus functions not only to hold a trailer in position, but also to limit the rocking or rotational movement of tire and wheel combination when a tent or travel trailer is used for camping, i.e., living conditions. The chock apparatus comprises a pair of metal chock assemblies which are movably linked together by a screw driven mechanism for tightening and loosening the chock assemblies about the tread area of a single tire and wheel assembly.
A first embodiment of the chock apparatus of the present invention uses right and left hand thread screws preferably having a thread size of ⅝xe2x80x3-11 UNC. It is envisioned that the right hand threaded screw would be located on the right hand of the chock apparatus so that a hand grip means or actuator, which is also included as part of the apparatus, would need to be rotated toward the apparatus operator in order for the chock assemblies to move laterally inboard towards each other. The hand grip preferably is an elongated metal bar having a square cross section and is used to tighten and loosen the chock assemblies relative to the tire and wheel assembly. The chock assemblies can be tightened by hand against the tire and wheel assembly and provide a certain level of stability according to the torque generated by the hands. Further tightening can be realized by applying to the hand grip an open end wrench or an adjustable wrench.
A second embodiment of the present invention, which accomplishes the same task as the first embodiment, does not include two oppositely threaded screws. Rather, a single threaded Acme drive screw is located inside of two longitudinally telescoping square tubes. The tubes are caused to telescope by using a ratchet wrench to turn a hex nut provided at an end of the screw. Chock flanges included in the chock assemblies are connected to threaded and stationary trunnions by way of a pivot point bolt. The pivot bolt connection, which is optional, enables the complete chock apparatus to be reduced to a small package when not in use.